DECATUR, Ga. - The Vikings took the drive to Agnes Scott College on Friday afternoon, where they were victorious in game 1 by a score of 6-4 and 17-3 in game 2.
Game One: Berry 6 – Agnes Scott 4
The star of the show in game one offensively was senior Katie Parker, who drove in 3 RBIs on two hits in just four at-bats.
Defensively, Hannah Gore paced the Vikings, giving up just 6 hits in 6 innings of action after facing 28 batters.
The Vikings found an early rhythm in the top of the first inning, as Paige Bennett drilled a ball out of the park to give Berry a 1-0 lead. Following the early spark, both defenses bent but refused to break, not allowing any runners to score in the following three innings. The Vikings' most promising showing of offense came when runners advanced to first and second base in the top of the third, but no runs materialized due to a strikeout that ended the inning.
The Scotties attempted to make their move in the bottom of the third inning, as a ground ball pierced through the infield that loaded the bases. Just when the Vikings needed pitcher Hannah Gore to take control, she did just that with two straight strikeouts that got Berry out of a bases-loaded jam.
Still holding a 1-0 lead, a Katie Parker bunt would cause confusion in the Scottie infield, which led to Madison Miller scoring to give Berry some insurance. The Vikings did not stop there though. With two runners on, Rachel Runsick delivered a beautifully struck ball down the left field line, sending Parker home to make the score 3-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth.
A two-run RBI kept the Scotties in it as the fifth inning came to a close, making the score 3-2.
The Vikings would respond in a big way though, as Elly Bennett and Erica Bennett scored off of a resounding RBI triple by Parker. The Viking defense came up big at the bottom of the sixth, halting any scoring opportunity for Agnes Scott.
Berry added more insurance at the top of the seventh inning, as Parker made another huge play with a single that scored Ava Fouts and increased their lead to 6-2.
Pitcher Megan Rapillo entered the game in the final inning to relieve Gore, where she took care of business in the circle and helped the Vikings to a 6-4 final in game one of the doubleheader.
Game Two: Berry 17 – Agnes Scott 3
Ava Fouts would control the pitching circle in the second game of the doubleheader, where she got the job done, allowing zero hits in three innings of play.
Lauren Cothern's play in the batter's box was a huge lift for the Viking offense. She poured in 5 RBIs and 2 home runs of her own in her five at-bats. Casey Holloway and Erica Bennett also added 3 RBIs each to power the offense.
The early goings were controlled by stellar play in the pitching circle, leading to a 0-0 ballgame at the top of the second inning.
Erica Bennett began the top of the second inning hot, as she drilled a single down the left field line that would eventually result in her scoring off a wild pitch to give the Vikings an early 1-0 lead.
Fouts's presence at the plate would lead to the Scotties going away in order to close out the second inning.
The top of the third inning was Erica Bennett's show again. She drove a triple to left center that would lead to Kensi Ody bringing her home with a single to give Berry a 2-0 lead.
Things quieted down in the fourth inning, with neither team able to generate offense as Casey Holloway replaced Ava Fouts in the pitching circle for the Vikings.
The fireworks began for the offense in the top of the fifth inning as the beast inside the Berry batter's box woke up. With the bases loaded, Erica Bennett unloaded on a ball that doubled to score Parker, Elly Bennett, and Lauren Cothern to make the score 9-0.
The Scotties responded with 2 runs to cut the Berry lead to 7 at the bottom of the fifth.
The fiery bats continued to burn in the top of the sixth, as Cothern blasted a ball out of the park on the first at-bat of the inning. A Casey Holloway RBI scored Kennedy Moody to make the score 11-2. Later in the inning, an RBI from Parker scored two more runs for the Vikings. Not satisfied with the 13-2 lead, Cothern decided to uncork a grand slam that shook the ballpark to close out the masterful inning.
Facing a 17-2 deficit, the Scotties were able to add one more run, before the game ended at the bottom of the sixth, leaving Berry with a signature 17-3 victory over the Scotties.
Berry will be back in action at home against Alma College for a doubleheader on February 25 for "Bob Williams Day." Game times are set for 2 PM and 4 PM ET.
